


It Might Be Time

by xoxmeh



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Break Up, F/M, Painting, Pregnancy, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:07:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24798940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xoxmeh/pseuds/xoxmeh
Summary: Up until she was twelve weeks in, she had even been mowing the lawn.Four weeks after that, her boyfriend had left her.Newly single, and very pregnant, Rey hires a handsome and charming painter to design her nursery.Twitter Prompt
Relationships: Finn/Rose Tico, Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 60
Kudos: 360





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh, this is my first twitter fill and idek how to post it there. So hopefully the requester sees this!!  
> I just want to write something short and sweet.  
> cw: pregnancy and abandonment  
> Also, I respect the shit out of single parents so all of the power to you!
> 
> Also! Advertising my new twitter: [Here!](https://twitter.com/xoxmeh)

“Think about it,” Rose said as she crossed her arms over her chest, sticking her bottom lip out. “He barely even charges besides supplies.”

They were standing in the empty room, save for the crib, where they had moved everything into the living room in preparation for a new coat of paint.

“I mean…” she began, biting her lip and turning to look at the other walls. “I was happy with a solid color.”

“Yeah, but, you’re too pregnant to paint by yourself anyway.”

Rey pouted then, finally glancing back at her best friend who was leaning against the door frame with her own infant at her feet in its seat.

“I thought that you would help me…” she spoke low and slightly embarrassed, ashamed that she had been putting so much work on her friend. Her friend who had also just had a baby, the same friend who complained about never sleeping or being able to finish a book.

“Girl, you know I would love to,” she finally pushed off of her spot on the wall, walking to the right wall of the room to run her fingertips over it. “But Finn’s leave is basically up and I can’t have the baby around those fumes.” She paused, turning to face her. “PLUS! I don’t feel like it,” she stuck her tongue out at her at the word and Rey had no argument.

Being most of the way through her pregnancy, she was exhausted all of the time. She couldn’t blame Rose and was beating herself up at the thought of even asking her for help. Having swollen ankles and peeing all the time was bad enough but she could only imagine the work that a newborn intowed. 

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” she said as she turned around to view the rest of the room again.

She had been lucky enough to be able to afford her modest, three bedroom home on the edge of a small town. Working as a home health nurse, she had a lot of freedom with her pregnancy and was able to take as many, or as few, clients as she wished. It had been years since college and once she had finally made the decision to buy her first home, she had also asked if her long-time boyfriend wanted to move in with her.

It was still her house, after all, but she had allowed him to live there without paying any bills. Groceries were all he bought and sure, they added up, but she was the true caretaker. Up until she was twelve weeks in, she had even been mowing the lawn.

Four weeks after that, her boyfriend had left her.

Typical white boy shit, she thought bitterly, stewing in bed the first night that he had left after packing his things. It was his baby and he didn’t want to take care of _them_. She would even settle for him taking care of just the baby but no, he had chosen to run away.

And she wasn’t going to lie, she still cried herself to sleep, less often now that time had passed but she was terrified of raising the baby on her own. On top of her mortgage and bills, now she had to worry about childcare. Something that his family would have been able to help with had he stuck around.

“You don’t _have_ to paint the nursery, you know. It won’t make you a bad mom to leave it this color.”

She rubbed her stomach as she thought, thinking of the little girl inside who was kicking and wiggling around.

“I know, but I want this to be our home.” Rose smiled at her as she spoke, glancing down at her own son a second later who was quietly sucking his pacifier in peace. 

“Then what’s the worst that could happen?”

She nodded and took the phone number.

“Hi,” she greeted as she swung the door open, careful to stand far enough backwards to account for her tummy. It was a warm, June day and she had invited the man that Rose had gushed about for a quote.

Opening the door, she was taken aback momentarily by his looks. Not conventionally attractive but once you threw everything together, he just looked _right._

“Hi, how are you?” He asked as he walked through the door, adjusting his bag on his shoulder once he was standing in the entryway and facing her again. She closed the door behind him, hand unconsciously coming to rest on her stomach as she faced him again. “I’m Ben,” he added.

“As good as I can be,” she laughed, gesturing downward. He smiled in return, freckles and moles moving with his cheeks as he glanced down at her. On top of being attractive, he was so _tall._ “I’m Rey, nice to meet you.”

“So,” he began, frightening her from her thoughts as she was brought back to reality. “I’m definitely going to have some questions once I see the space.”

“R-right,” she stuttered as she took a step forward. “Follow me, I’ll take you there.” She felt silly as soon as she said it, realizing that she could have been a million times smoother with this random, attractive man in her house.

The living room was a mess but she walked straight past it, thinking better of the apologies that she would regularly give. She was a single, very much pregnant woman and she didn’t need to justify anything, she told herself.

Opening the door to the nearly empty room, she took a step inward and to the side to allow him space to enter. It was a plain room, in every sense of the room, and the white walls reflected zero personality.

“Right, so,” he placed his bag down on the ground, quickly opening it to retrieve a small notebook and pen. “I have my questions, if you don’t mind.”

Rey nodded, adjusting on her feet and placing both of her hands on his hips to lean back against her weight.

“The gender? If you don’t mind me asking. Unless you either don’t know or would prefer something neutral.”

“A girl,” she answered immediately, meeting his eyes. “I’d love it to be floral.”

He nodded at that, looking down and beginning to write in his notebook.

“Preferred color?”

“I like neutrals to a light pink.”

He nods.

“What color is the rest of the furniture?”

“Everything is white.”

“Did you have a name in mind?”

She paused, cheeks flushing. 

“I haven’t thought of one yet.”

There was a short silence as he continued scribbling, finally glancing up as she remained quiet.

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” he said, lowering his notebook and pen to look at her. “You still have some time.”

Silence set in over them again after he spoke, this time with Ben bending over his bag to retrieve a measuring tape as he stood in the corners of the room and began measuring. She felt silly, standing there watching as he worked, but she tried to remember that he was hired help.

“Where did you plan on putting the furniture?”

“I’m not completely sure,” she said honestly, switching feet again.

“Ok, well,” he said as he reeled in the measuring tape and stood back to face her. “I’d like to come over one more time before I make the mural.” She nodded as she watched him approach her. “Do you have anyone to move the furniture back in here with? So I can see what I’m working with?”

And she wasn’t sure. Sure, Finn had a bit off of work but she couldn’t just sign him up for it. 

“No, not really. It’s just me.” She touched her stomach again as she spoke, glancing down at the floor longingly. His face softened at the admission, eyes glancing down at her stomach before he forced them back to looking at the walls.

“How about I do it right now, then? So you don’t have to worry about it.”

Her cheeks flushed as she looked at him, mind racing. 

“No, I could never let you do that. I was just planning on placing it around the mural anyway so you can just do what you think is best.”

He stared at her for a moment before raising an eyebrow and shrugging, returning to measure the last wall. It was quiet for a moment afterwards, the only sound being his pencil scribbling away in his notebook.

“And is this where the crib is going to go?” She nodded when he motioned to the wall that it was near, watching as he began measuring again. “Okay,” he straightened up and returned the measuring tape to his bag. “I’d like to go home and draw a few sketches. Or I could show you some of my previous work, and once we decide I’ll give you the quote. I mostly do this as a hobby so it won’t be anything crazy.”

“Oh, what do you do for work?”

“I’m a social worker,” he wasn’t looking at her as he spoke, instead glancing around the room again to avoid her eyes. “It’s a lot of work. Not much free time, honestly, but I love it.” There was a gentle smile on the corners of his lips as he spoke, closing his notebook before letting his arms drop to his sides and looking at her. “How about you?”

“Oh, I’m a home healthcare provider. A nurse, so I’m the opposite. A few long shifts and plenty of time off. I love it, too. It’s so rewarding.”

It was quiet another moment while his eyes searched her face, staring into her eyes before allowing them to drift down towards her lips. He nodded then, smiling softly.

“Is it just you, then? You didn’t want to answer when I asked you about the furniture before.”

Her cheeks flushed then, allowing a nervous laugh to escape her.

“Well, there _was_ until recently. Now it’s just me.”

“Looks like you’re doing fine, so far.” There was a gentle look on his face as he spoke, eyes following her small movements.

“Yeah, I’m lucky to have my friends.”

Silence set in again as she shifted on her feet, weight adjusting while her hand absentmindedly made its way back to her stomach.

“Well, is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Nope, I’ve got everything I need for today.” He smiled again, taking a couple of steps to cross the room until he was next to her, reaching behind her to open the door far enough to walk through. His wrist brushed along the side of her shirt as she moved, barely ghosting against her but with intent. She sucked in a breath at the contact, shivering at the first touch from a man since her ex left her.

She walked him to the door then, offering him a smile and another handshake as he walked through the doorway, closing the door a second after.

She leaned against it once it was closed, sighing as she let her mind drift to places it shouldn’t with this man. Maybe it was because it was the first man who had paid her any attention or maybe she wasn’t actually imagining some kind of attraction. He’d made too many faces, too many expressions that she didn’t want to look too deep into. She didn’t want to get her hopes up and it was too late in her pregnancy to get involved with anyone. Not that anyone would _want_ her in her state, what with another man’s child in her stomach.

She walked back into the living room, flopping ungracefully on the couch before picking up her phone to text Rose.

_You didn’t say he was so cute,_ she wrote, feeling like a giddy teenager while she put the phone down and waited for a reply.

_Yes,_ she knew. She couldn’t wait to begin painting the nursery.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Feel free to add me on twitter!](https://twitter.com/xoxmeh)
> 
> So this is quicker than I expected.  
> And updates are going to remain relatively short. This is definitely a hobby fic.

A few days pass with silence from Ben.

She sees her gyno. She goes grocery shopping.

She even lets herself get a pedicure for her swollen ankles.

At the end of the third day, as she’s lounging on her sectional, her phone buzzes next to her.

_Sorry for the delay. Work got busy._

He sent a link to his instagram a moment later, opening it she could see a wall of beautiful murals that he had painted, ranging from children’s bedrooms to doctor’s offices. She scrolls and scrolls and the wall never seems to end, each picture impressing her more than the last. There was Rose’s, she thought, clicking it and seeing all of the comments that people had left praising its

_Don’t even apologize!_ she answers, perhaps a bit too quickly.

Scrolling back to the top, she takes in the photo he had chosen for the profile. She doesn’t think it was possible for him to look any more attractive, in a fitted suit top with his hair slightly shorter than when she met him a few days ago. He had the most radiant smile on his face, a smirk at one corner of his lips, skin contrasting against his white shirt nicely.

_Let me know if you like any of those, we can modify or start completely fresh, whatever works for you._

She continued scrolling, past more kids’ rooms and offices. There were a few that fit the aesthetic that she was going for: a light pink with a floral pattern. With a few modifications, they could probably work out something similar.

She took two screenshots of the ones she’d like and attached them to her next text.

_These are pretty close to what I’m looking for but maybe a different color? Something that goes better with the light pink._

He left her on read for a few minutes, confusing her slightly as if she had said something wrong. Another few minutes later, he replied.

_I can definitely do that. We should go shopping for paint swatches before anything else. I’ll be free tomorrow night if you are._

Her heartbeat picked up at the thought of spending extra time with him, in a store and shopping casually. This was definitely something that she should have gotten done before requesting a quote but it hadn’t even crossed her mind.

_I appreciate it but don’t feel obligated! I should have done it weeks ago. Once I pick a color I’ll let you know._

He left her on read for another couple minutes then, the typing box popping up at the bottom and disappearing multiple times before a text finally came through.

_In my professional opinion, you should have the artist come with you ;)_

Her cheeks flushed violently at that, completely taken aback but the little face that he had added to the end of the text. Sure, he was cute enough but was he really flirting with her while she was _this_ pregnant?

_Well, if you insist. We can work something out._

She didn’t have the confidence to reply with an emoji, thinking that she may have misunderstood his intentions. 

He didn’t reply for the rest of the night. But true to his word, he’d texted her the address of the hardware store where they would meet around six.

“Hi,” he said with a smile as she approached him, sundress blowing in the light breeze. “You look well.”

“Oh, don’t even,” she waved her hand in front of her, closing her eyes and shaking her head. “I look like a house.”

“No,” he was staring straight at her now, face completely straight as he spoke. “You look beautiful.”

She blinked, mouth opening to say something but coming up blank.

“Anyway, let’s go.”

It was quiet for a moment as he walked next to her into the door, leading her to the paint section where she faced a wall of paint swatches. She was overwhelmed for a second, unsure of what brand to even go with. Seeing the look on her face, he took a step in front of her.

“Okay, I guess you haven’t done this before,” he said gently, turning to face the display with her. “This is the brand that I typically use,” he gestured to a specific section, pulling out a folder full of different colors. “You mentioned a light pink, so…” He traced his fingers along the display, finally settling on a pink section.

“They all look the same,” she laughed, taking a step closer to lift one up.

“They do when they’re on the shelf but once you bring them home, you can tell what looks good or bad in the space.”

There was an expression on his face that she recognized; like he was truly happy looking at all of the paint. It sent a warm feeling through her chest, thinking that this man was truly enjoying what they were doing. He picked a few cards out and held them in front of her, comparing them side by side but she could still barely tell the difference.

“So I should probably take a bunch home,” she mumbled to herself, taking them from his hands and staring at them.

“Yeah,” he replied from next to her, and she could swear that out of the corner of her eye she could see his eyes, warm and soft, gazing at her. She immediately pretended to be more busy than she was with the cards, making a show of picking up a few new ones while she tried hiding the flush on her cheeks. Why was he being so _sweet_?

“Right,” she replied, still refusing to look at him. She could hear a couple down the aisle arguing about paint primer now, deciding between brands and sizes in hushed yet loud voices.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Turning around, an employee was standing behind them with a smile on their face, hands folded in front of them. It was an older gentleman, definitely over 60 with white hair and a missing tooth.

“No, I think we’re okay,” Ben replied before she could think of a reply.

“First house?” He asked innocently, causing Rey’s cheeks to flare again. The man motioned down to her stomach then, just enough for her own eyes to follow.

“Oh, we’re not together,” she replied quickly, smiling with closed eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, waving his hands now, clearly embarrassed. “I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“It’s no problem,” she gestured with a hand, sneaking a glance at Ben who didn’t look embarrassed at all. In fact, he seemed to be staring longingly. Weird.

“Well, if there’s anything I can help with just let me know.”

They thanked him as he walked away, down the aisle toward the bickering couple to ask if they needed help.

They didn’t speak of it as she finished picking out her samples, walking to the entrance before turning to face him again.

“Well, it was really nice to say you,” she stared at the ground as she spoke, too afraid to glance up at his face. “I’ll definitely pick up a can or two of whatever paint when I choose.”

“I could help you,” he replied, crossing his arms in front of his chest and leaning on one foot.

“No, you’re already going to be doing so much. I couldn’t ask anything else.”

“No, really,” his voice was deep as he spoke, brown eyes staring into her own. “It’s no problem. I’d love to.”

Her cheeks flushed again as she stared at him, bouncing from her heels onto the balls of her feet.

“Okay, then you could come over again tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I’d like that.” His face was soft as he spoke and she didn’t miss the way his eyes glanced down at her belly for a split second before meeting hers again.

“Alright, well I’m going to go home,” she said with a smile on her cheeks, taking a few steps towards the direction of her car.

“Yeah, of course. Let me know what time works and I’ll see you tomorrow. Drive safe.”

She could see him walking slowly behind her but in the opposite direction, hands in his jean pockets as his shoulders remained in a shrug.

Suddenly, she couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

_Good morning,_ she woke up to, phone on silent through the night. She smiled the second she saw it, burying her face in her pillow as soon as she read it. Was it okay to answer?

_Good morning to you, too._ She was embarrassed for a second, sounding lame in her response. She stood up, running a hand over her belly before walking into the bathroom to turn the shower on.

_How did you sleep?_ came through a second later.

_Good, how about you?_

_Great, thanks. I was hoping that I could take you to dinner tonight before I came to look at the nursery._

Her cheeks flushed instantly, steam from the shower beginning to flood the bathroom.

_Sure,”_ she replied quickly, clicking send just as she felt a kick in her tummy.

_Great. You can pick the place._

She smiled and stepped into the shower.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Upping the chapter count majorly.  
> I should also mention that I'm my own beta so plz forgive typos.
> 
> [Don't mind my twitter](https://twitter.com/xoxmeh)

He arrived at exactly 6:30, like he said he would.

She had spent the last two hours trying on every article of clothing in her closet, desperately trying to fit her swollen body into something that could be deemed cute. After checking many outfits with Rose via FaceTime, she finally settled on a light blue dress from before her pregnancy that miraculously fit her bulging tummy.

Slipping into her favorite pair of white flats, she found that her feet were so swollen that she couldn’t dare go in public wearing them.

Wearing plain flip flops and her dress, she waved at him from behind her storm door and quickly stepped out, locking the door behind her.

He parked in her driveway behind her own car, immediately stepping out while the engine was still running. He walked over to her quickly with his long strides, appearing at her side as she made her way down the walkway.

“Hi,” he greeted, slowing his steps to meet her pace.

“Hi,” she smiled at him, attempting to take longer steps.

“How are you?” He asked as he reached for the door handle, swinging it open to let the cool air hit her overheated skin. The short walk from her door had nearly winded her, still not adjusted to the extra weight she was carrying.

“I’m doing alright,” she said as she ducked into the car, thankful now that he had left the engine and air conditioning running. He closed the door gently behind her, careful that she was fully inside. “How about you?” She followed with once he’d taken his own seat in the car, pulling her seatbelt over herself.

“Great, thanks,” he said once he was seated and putting his own seatbelt on, glancing in her direction with a gentle smile on his face. “Thanks for coming.”

Her cheeks flushed then, shy now that she was alone with him in the cramped space. Normally, cologne would upset her stomach but his was soft, just a light scent that filled the air.

“Of course. Thanks for inviting me.”

It was quiet for a moment as he backed out of the driveway, placing a hand on the headrest behind her so that he could peer over his shoulder. She could feel the warmth of his forearm against her left shoulder at the moment and she found herself leaning into it subconsciously, quickly straightening her back once she realized what she was doing.

“So where are we going?” She asked, watching the familiar houses pass by out of her window, not wanting to appear too eager by staring at him. He didn’t seem to care as he kept glancing over at her, eyes traveling from her face and down to her belly.

“I thought that we could keep it casual tonight, if you don’t mind. Just a diner down the road. I used to go there with my parents as a kid but I haven’t been there in years.”

He was looking at the road now, laying his right arm against the center console as he drove with his left hand. She nodded silently to herself, thinking what strange order she would strangely make. As much as Rose had promised the cravings would get better, she found that they hadn’t. The night before she had been eating apple pie and picked straight out of the jar, desperately wishing that she could have some kind of fried food instead.

“Don’t judge me for what I get, then,” she said while smiling to herself, turning to watch his face as he continued driving.

“Of course. Whatever you want.”

It was silent for another moment then, only broken as he pulled into the parking lot and parked in a spot somewhat close to the entrance, surely taking pity on her state.

He opened the door for her again, towering over her from his spot next to her and closing it behind them. He asked for a table and they were seated quickly, careful to put her at a table with sliding chairs rather than a booth.

“So,” he said as he put his menu down on the table, only speaking after she placed her own down. “Tell me about you?”

“I don’t know what you’d like to know,” she smiled softly, one hand on her stomach while the other hung at her side.

“Anything.”

“Okay, well.” She paused, considering where she should start. “I’m obviously British. I came here during college. I’d been doing a semester abroad and decided to stay.Your turn.”

“I’m originally from Florida. I moved here to get away from my family, honestly. They were just too much for me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t be, it wasn’t a hard decision to make.”

She nodded, hoping he would continue. When he didn’t, she asked: “what made you choose to be a social worker?”

He took a second to think it over before folding his hands in front of him on the table.

“I had a rough childhood. Don’t get me wrong, I never wanted for anything. But my relationship with my parents has been strained my entire life. I wanted to help other kids get along with their parents and have a better life than I did. I’m thinking of going back to school to work clinically but I’m not sure. I love what I do.”

He looked so content as he spoke and she was genuinely happy for him, smiling to herself because she felt the same about her job.

“How about you?” He asked, sitting back in his chair to appear more casual.

“Oh, I’ve always loved healthcare. I used to want to be a doctor but once I figured out that patient care was completely different, I stopped my pre-med program and switched to nursing. It was definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

He nodded along with her, only stopping once their server appeared to take their orders.

“How about your home?” He started once the waitress left, running a hand through his hair. “Do you rent or own?”

“I own. I just bought it recently. If I’m being honest, I lived with my boyfriend until about three months ago so upkeep was a little better. That’s partly why all of the furniture is in the living room,” she laughed lightly as she spoke, choosing not to let herself be upset. What’s done was done and she had accepted being alone. “I haven’t been out much since. So this is nice,” she finished, taking a sip of the water that the bus boy had brought.

“Well, if _I’m_ being honest, I haven’t taken anyone out in at least a year.” Her cheeks flushed at the confession and she glanced down, peeking up at him through her eyelashes as he continued. “I’ve been busy and just haven’t… had much interest.”

She didn’t have a response and sat there quietly for a moment, picking her glass up to occupy her hands as she waited for him to speak again.

“I’m glad you agreed.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Their food came then, rescuing her from an awkward silence as she busied herself with it, sneaking glances at him whenever she could; quickly avoiding eye contact when their eyes would meet.

They continued their small talk until they had finished and he had insisted on picking up the bill, only letting her leave the tip, begrudgingly. 

Parking in her driveway for the second time, she exited the car before he could open the door for her again, feeling silly that he was waiting on her. They walked to the door in silence, Rey carrying a box of leftovers in her left hand while trying to balance it on her arm to dig around her purse for her keys. Ben quickly realized and took the box from her, smiling at her when she thanked him.

Opening the door, she was again grateful for the escape from the summer heat, closing it behind him as he followed suit and removed his shoes.

Leading him down the hall and into the nursery, she noticed that he hadn’t brought his bag.

“No bag today?” She asked once they were inside the room together, the sound of the air conditioner filling the space.

He looked taken aback for a moment, lips parting for a second as no words came.

“I… forgot,” he confessed, taking a step closer to her. “But I have a pencil.”

She smiled at him, gazing up at him as he became closer.

“I was distracted,” he said, stopping in front of her when her belly was nearly touching him.

She leaned into it for a second, relishing the way that human contact felt but instantly recoiled a moment later as if she were burned, stepping backwards until she hit the wall.

“I can go… get it. Hold on, I’ll be right back,” he seemed confused by her reaction but she had been so caught off guard, thoughts of her ex flooding her mind at the idea of touching another man.

She stared after him as he left the room, wanting to apologize but also wishing it hadn’t happened.

Just as she finally caught her breath, he appeared in the doorway again, this time carrying his bag and reaching into it for a sketchbook. Holding it up for her to view, it took her breath away at how beautiful the outline he had drawn was.

It was a tasteful amount of floral, with the petals above where the crib would sit in the room. The stems came down from the ceiling, different kinds of flowers covering the page.

“It’s perfect,” she said instantly, reaching out to run her fingertips over the page.

“Good, I’m glad,” he paused, keeping his arms out to hold the notebook open for her. “‘I’d like to draw out some basic outlines, if you don’t mind.

She shook her head, finally backing away and looking up at his face.

“No, no you can do whatever you need.”

He smiled at her, taking out a pencil and his tape measure before walking to the wall where the crib would sit.

She watched silently as he penciled along the wall, measuring where things would be after the new paint was on the wall.

“Were you planning on hiring painters?”

“No… I was going to do it myself…” she trailed off, slightly embarrassed that she would be doing this on her own.

“No,” he was firm as he spoke, looking directly into her eyes. “I’ll do it.”

She shook her head.

“There’s no way that I’ll let you.”

“I _want_ to,” his eyes were gentle now as he looked into her own, fingers twitching at his sides.

A minute passes as they stare at each other, neither wanting to give in.

She cracks first.

“Fine. How about this weekend.”

“Fine,” he replied. “This weekend.”

There’s a satisfied smirk on his face as he begins to walk to the door and down the hallway, putting on his shoes to leave a minute after.

“I’ll see you this weekend,” he says, standing at full height as he moves to open the door.

“Right,” she says, watching as he prepares to go. “Thank you for dinner.”

“Of course.” 

He smiles and gives her a wave as he walks to his car.

_I’m sorry for before._

He sends an hour later.

_I misunderstood._

He adds a minute later.

 _It’s no big deal,_ she replies, blushing and holding her phone against her chest as she waits for a reply.

 _I’m looking forward to the weekend,_ he finally replies after the bottom of the screen showing three dots for more than a minute.

_Yeah, me too._


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to follow me on twitter [here!](https://twitter.com/xoxmeh)

“Wait, he almost _kissed_ you? And you didn’t let him?!”

She’s out to an early lunch with Rose now, with Finn at home watching the baby for some quality “me” time.

“It just…” she paused for a second, biting her lower lip as she thought of the right words to say. “It made me think of _him_ and it felt too soon. I don’t think I’m ready. I don’t know if I ever will be with his baby.”

She stared down at the table, hands both placed on her thighs as silence set in for a moment, Rose giving her a sideways look. It wasn’t pity that she felt, per se, but she definitely felt bad that her best friend was left as pregnant as she was.

“Besides, I’m a whale right now. Why could he possibly want me? Maybe he has a fetish, or something.”

They both began laughing at the idea, picking at the salads that they had in front of them.

“He seemed nice enough when he was painting for us. He definitely never tried kissing me,” she blew kisses at Rey then, giggling under her breath as Rey blushed.

“He wasn’t trying to kiss me!” She insisted, embarrassed that she’d told Rose in the first place.

“So what do you think he was trying to do? That close up to you?”

“I don’t know! Rose, I’m literally a house right now, you know how I feel. He would have to lean _over_ my stomach. That would be mortifying.”

“Girl, he obviously doesn’t care. Why are you letting it bother you?”

“I just… I don’t want to be abandoned again so soon. What’s he going to do? He’s definitely not going to stick around after I have a baby. I can’t have sex for months and I’ll be too busy to go on dates. I’d just be wasting his time.”

“ _Clearly_ you’re not wasting his time. He’s interested, Rey.”

She shook her head at that, refusing to even entertain the idea that he could be looking for anything beyond sex with a super pregnant woman.

“Maybe it’s on his bucket list?”

“Rey!” She said with an exasperated tone, throwing her hands in the air. “What man just wants to knock that off of his bucket list? He’s interested in you!”

She bit her lip again as she picked at her salad, pushing a cherry tomato around on her plate.

“I just don’t know, Rose. And now I’m supposed to spend the weekend painting with him. Should I cancel and just do it on my own?”

“No, spend some more time with him and see how it goes. You were so excited to go out with him, I don’t understand what went wrong.”

She looked down at her lap, fully tucking her chin in shame at the question.

Sure, things had gone very well. Conversation had flowed perfectly, for the most part. She had learned the first-date kinds of things about him and he had even insisted on paying. By all means, it was a date and she’d shot him down hard by rejecting him.

“Nothing went wrong. It’s my fault.”

“Honey, no it’s not. You just need some more time. Don’t write him off yet, please?”

“Yeah,” she agreed, placing an elbow on the table and leaning as far forward as her belly would allow. “We’ll see.”

The next two days dragged as she waited for a text.

She wasn’t even sure that he would send one, what with the rejection. Or was she supposed to text first? She had no idea.

On Saturday morning, she slept in.

When she rolled over and picked up her phone, she saw that he’d finally sent a text.

_Good morning,_ was all it said but her cheeks lit up with embarrassment anyway. How was she even supposed to face him? She had wanted it for the past few days but now that she was here…

_Good morning. How are you?_ she replied back, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She was always a little wobbly on her feet first thing in the morning but she forced herself to stand, stretching her arms over herself and heading down to the kitchen.

Drinking decaf coffee had definitely been one of the hardest adjustments that she’d had to make since she found out she was pregnant. If she was being honest, the first couple days she had had headaches from withdrawal and she had nearly caved multiple times. But she couldn’t do that to herself or her baby.

Putting her phone on the counter, she placed the coffee filter in the machine and shovelled in the grounds with just enough water for one cup.

_Good,_ her phone buzzed next to her, frightening her a little. _I was hoping I could come over in an hour?_

She was horrified for a second, realizing that she needed to cook breakfast, shower, _and_ get ready within the hour.

_Haha, sure,_ she replied quickly, abandoning the coffee pot and walking as quickly as her shaky legs would allow her into the bathroom. She turned the water on quickly, stepping in and skipping the hair washing, getting out of the shower within five minutes.

Next, she would try her best to find something cute yet disposable, as it would probably get ruined with paint. But she found that she only had one ugly pair of maternity shorts, completely unflattering but she didn’t have a choice. Forcing them up her legs, she reached into her pajama drawer to retrieve a big and old shirt.

_Can I bring you breakfast?_ Was on her phone when she picked it up again after nearly twenty minutes, leaving him hanging.

_How about I make you breakfast instead?_ she asked, quickly throwing her phone back down on the counter to brush out her hair and put on a basic layer of makeup.

_Sure, if you’d like,_ he replied a minute later as she rushed to put on her mascara. _I’m going to leave now, if that’s alright? It’s a twenty minute drive. ___

___Sure!_ she replied, hurriedly finishing the other eyelash and fumbling to draw her eyebrows on. She was definitely going to be sweating within the hour, so why was she even bothering?_ _

__True to his word, there was a knock at the door twenty minutes later as she was flipping bacon over in the pan. She hoped he liked it dark._ _

__“Hi,” she was out of breath when the door swung open, having to bend her neck backwards to look into his eyes._ _

__“Hi,” he said with a little smirk. She moved to let him slide past her and after he’d taken his shoes off, she led him to the kitchen, pulling a bar stool out from the kitchen island and gesturing for him to sit._ _

__“Bacon, eggs and toast, if that’s ok? If you’d like coffee I’m going to have to put a new pot on for you because I drank all my decaf,” she laughed a little as she spoke, walking back to the stove to turn the heat off of the bacon. She shovelled the slices onto a paper towel-ed plate and set it down in front of him, putting the pan in the sink and pulling another out to make eggs. “How do you like your eggs?”_ _

__He shrugged, watching her every move and only glancing at the bacon sideways._ _

__“Whatever way you want, doesn’t matter.”_ _

__“Scrambled it is,” she said, pulling another bowl out to beat the eggs that she had laid out on the counter._ _

__It was silent for another moment before he spoke._ _

__“So, I touched up your mural a bit. Here,” he reached into his bag on the floor, pulling his sketchbook out again. “Just a couple changes, just to account for the proper length of the room.”_ _

__She nodded as she continued cooking the eggs, stepping away for just a second to view the book that he had laid out._ _

__“It’s perfect,” she said, inhaling deeply at the sight, amazed that his already perfect sketch could look any better. “Oh!” She exclaimed, bringing both of her hands to her face as she spoke. “You never mentioned a quote. But I guess it’s too late for that,” she laughed nervously. “I’m already too invested to not hire you.”_ _

__He stared at her for a moment, blinking once, then twice as he furrowed his brow._ _

__“I guess I forgot to mention that it’s on the house.”_ _

__He said it so casually, like it was something he did for every client. But she couldn’t accept._ _

__“Oh no, definitely no. If you’re helping me paint _and_ doing my mural, you’re definitely not NOT getting anything for it._ _

__“Oh, I will be though. I’m happy with your company.”_ _

__She froze in her spot above the stove with wide eyes and turned to face him, cheeks flushed a deep crimson._ _

__“No, I could never accept that.”_ _

__“Hmm,” he placed a finger to the corner of his mouth in mock thought, glancing up at the ceiling before zeroing in on her. “How about you make me dinner each night I’m here and we’ll call it even?”_ _

__She thought about it for a moment. Thought about spending even more time with this man that she felt guilty for being attracted to._ _

__“I-I really would rather pay you. Not that I don’t want to make you dinner! I’ll still make you dinner. I just want to pay for your work, too. You’re an artist, after all,” she finished lamely, poking two fingers together in front of her as she stared at the floor._ _

__“Exactly. I’m the artist and I set my own prices.”_ _

__He wasn’t going to budge on this, she realized. Just like he didn’t budge on buying dinner. She pouted for a second while she faced the eggs, poking them around the pan while she thought of what to say._ _

__“I insist,” he said, a little louder than the rest of their conversation. She stuck her lip out again, this time looking in his direction as he smirked at her, as if he were a child that had gotten away with something._ _

__A second passed as she moved to put two slices of toast in the toaster, taking two plates from the cabinet to place the eggs on once they were finished cooking._ _

__“Well, I guess there’s no point arguing,” she said as she placed his plate in front of him, next reaching into another drawer to grab him a fork._ _

__“Good, I’m glad we’ve agreed,” he said smugly as he folded his arms over his chest, leaning back in his seat to watch as she worked._ _

__She remained quiet until the toast popped out of the toaster, quickly grabbing it onto a third plate to transfer it to him across the kitchen. She reached for the butter next, placing it next to him with the knife she had used previously._ _

__“This looks perfect,” he said as she scooped eggs onto his plate before her own, briefly thinking to give him more with his massive frame but quickly remembering her state._ _

__“I’m glad,” she said as she pulled a chair to the opposite side of the island to eat across from him._ _

__They slipped into normal conversation then, asking each other about the past few days of work and a few more questions._ _

__Breakfast was over soon after and Ben had instantly stood up to grab their empty plates, asking if she hand washed or used the dishwasher._ _

__She was embarrassed again for a second at his insistence at helping. This was her home and he was her guest, he shouldn’t be doing any work. But he insisted, placing everything in the dishwasher before turning to her and asking to head to the nursery._ _

__“So I ended up picking this shade,” she said as he poured some into the metal container, rolling the roller that he’d brought through it a moment later._ _

__“It’s very neutral, I like it,” he said as he put the roller back in the tray, stepping away and back towards his bag where he pulled blue tape from._ _

__“Oh, I feel silly for not doing that before you got here,” she explained, reaching to grab it from his hand and being surprised when he didn’t let her take it._ _

__“You shouldn’t be on a ladder by yourself anyway. I don’t even need one,” he gestured to his height, walking to the doorway and beginning to tape up the trim. She watched as he worked, slightly embarrassed that she felt so useless._ _

__Rey hadn’t ever been useless her entire life. She had never been one to sit back and watch; she had always been hands on and wanting to learn new things. So watching this man line the walls of her baby’s room, a man who wasn’t even the father, she felt her heart swell as her hand found its way to resting on her belly._ _

__“The room is already white so I’m not going to bother with primer,” he spoke as he ripped off the tape on the corner of the room’s window._ _

__“Oh, that’s actually the only thing that my ex did to this room,” she laughed a little to herself, staring down at the floor in slight shame. He simply nodded in return, offering no judgement but the nod._ _

__“Perfect,” he finally said, ripping the tape from the last bit of trim on the opposite side of the door._ _

__“So,” he continued, straightening and looking towards her. “How about we begin?”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter lengths are going to vary.  
> Also, I'm intentionally leaving her ex nameless, in case anyone is wondering.


	5. Chapter 5

While Rey felt guilty for being seemingly useless, she was thrilled when he mentioned that she could paint the bottoms of the walls, near the baseboards.

He had run out to his car at one point to retrieve a retractable paint pole, not commenting on the fact that she didn’t have one. While he made quick work of the middle of the walls, Rey sat herself on a small stool to paint the bottoms, going less than half as fast as he would.

“It’s alright,” he had comforted when she’d mentioned it, feeling guilty that he was on the last wall while she was still on her first. “If I finish before you, I’ll help. It’s fine.”

And she had felt comforted; like he actually meant his words and wasn’t bitter in any way.

They were mostly quiet as they painted, Rey working much slower than he. At some point, he had gone and retrieved her step ladder to paint the top of the wall, looking graceful as he stretched to reach the top, even with his height.

And Rey couldn’t help it if her eyes wandered to the sliver of skin that showed when he reached upwards, a slight line of hair trailing down from his belly button. After all, she hadn’t had male attention in months. She hadn’t even seen a man beyond porn since her ex had left.

When he finally stepped down from the ladder and exclaimed, “there!” she couldn’t help but feel guilty that she was only two and a half walls in. She voiced her concern and he shushed her, quickly kneeling on the floor with his paintbrush and picking up from the opposite side of the room.

As they got closer to the middle, she could feel his warmth against her back, making her straighten and flush as she tried to play it casual, as if he was just Rose and they were painting together. He helped her paint the last sliver of base before rising to his feet, helping her stand a moment later.

“Well,” he said, using the back of his hand to brush sweat away from his forehead. “That’s it for the first coat.”

She smiled along with him, feeling accomplished even though she’d done less than a third of the work. He seemed pleased enough, looking in her direction with a face that was all smiles. And she couldn’t help staring; staring at his stupidly handsome face that she couldn’t look away from.

“We can finish the second coat tomorrow,” he said as he held her hand longer than necessary once she was on her feet, in a trance as he held on while admiring his handiwork.

“Tomorrow?” She asked, finally, and gently, pulling her hands away and taking a small step backward.

He turned his head back toward her, his eyes still bright with what he had done.

“Yeah, we have to wait to do the second coat.”

She flushed at the realization that he had to come back _again_ before he even started the mural, not irritated in the slightest but knowing that she would need to wash her shorts tonight because she didn’t have another pair.

“Okay, did you wanna do the same thing tomorrow? Breakfast and painting?’

He shook his head, grinning as he looked at her.

“Tomorrow, I’m bringing breakfast. You treated me today. So if you have a preference, let me know now.”

She couldn’t help but smile at him, taking a second to glance around the room at the work that they had done.

“Thank you,” she finally spoke. “For everything.”

She didn’t need to mention anything specifically and he seemed to realize as he plastered a big smile on his face while looking at her, placing his hands on his hips before stretching them over his head.

“Well, I guess that’s it for the day.” He was looking over at her, perhaps waiting for an invitation to stay longer but she couldn’t bring herself to ask.

“Yeah, thank you again. You did so much for me.” A pause. “But I need to shower now.”

A flash of disappointment shot across his face for a split second and she nearly missed it, trying not to make eye contact as she tried to politely kick him out of her house. She needed to rest her feet and take a bath but wouldn’t just admit that to him.

“That’s okay,” he paused to look in her direction. “How about the same time tomorrow?”

She nodded absently, smiling to herself as she turned to open the bedroom door.

“Yes, I would like that,” she finally said once he was in the hallway, having left both his bag and paint roller in the nursery.

He slipped his shoes on silently, standing at full height a moment later. He was looking down at her with a _look_ in his eyes but she couldn’t place it, shy under his gaze.

“Well,” he said softly as she bent her neck to look him in the eye. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She smiled and nodded, opening the door in front of him while he took an extra second to move, hesitating before he moved to open the storm door.

“Thanks for all your help,” she said one last time before he was out of earshot, Ben turning instantly to face her.

“Of course,” he said with a smile, waving again as he walked down the driveway to his car.

She could hear the car door shut a second later but she kept the door open to be polite, waving again once he’d backed out of the driveway and onto her street. He didn’t seem to see her as he looked ahead at the road, perhaps lost in his own thoughts.

_How could you NOT let something happen?!_ Rose typed upon hearing about what had happened that day.

And Rey was almost embarrassed. Only, she wasn’t. She was too conflicted to feel any sort of way.

_I just couldn’t. Rose, I’m not ready,_ she said again, biting her lip after she’d sent the text.

The day had gone beautifully: they had gotten along amazingly with all of their small talk but she couldn’t bring herself to make any more beyond that.

She just didn’t want to.

_I don’t know what to tell you. He beyond obviously wants you._

She didn’t have a response, putting her phone down on the cabinet right beside the bathtub as she bathed, relaxing her lower half as one hand came up to rub her stomach.

She was so _large._

Her belly distended way beyond the level of the water and she ran both of her hands over it, relishing the feeling of her baby turning over inside of herself.

_A baby girl, _she and her ex had been so excited to hear, imagining the clothes and nursery and cute, girly names that they could call her.__

__Her ex had been so excited for all of sixteen weeks before disappearing, seemingly falling off of the face of the earth with all of the texts that he had sent. She had even resorted to messaging his mom on facebook, being completely heartbroken when she hadn’t answered._ _

__It was her _grandchild,_ how could she just not _care?__ _

__Even if her hormones hadn’t been raging wildly, she would still be crying herself to sleep. They had been together nearly five years with him promising that they would get married. After the initial shock of her being pregnant, it had seemed like he was just as excited as she was. Then finding out it was a _girl,_ her heart had swelled and she’d assumed the same of him._ _

__She never would have expected him to up and run from his own family. Especially after living in her house mortgage and utility free for nearly a year._ _

__Trusting a man again would be hard, she realized. Thinking that any man could just up and leave because a baby wasn’t _their_ problem had broken her heart. If she needed to be a single mom, then so be it._ _

__Sinking deeper into the water, she tilted her head backwards against the porcelain tub and took a deep breath._ _

__Sure, this man was paying attention to her _for now,_ but she would give birth in just a few weeks. What was the point if he wasn’t going to stick around? And it was so soon, she couldn’t even expect him to._ _

__She pulled her hands up above the water, taking in the pruney-ness of he fingertips and decided to get out, hitting the drain stop with her foot so that it began to drain from the tub before she got to her feet shakily, holding onto the side railing that she had always thought that she didn’t need._ _

___No,_ she thought. It would just be a mistake. He couldn’t want her beyond physically._ _

__

__

__Sunday morning came before she would have liked._ _

__Being so exhausted, she snoozed her alarm twice before forcing herself out of bed, this time forgoing the shower and not having to make breakfast._ _

__She hobbled down to the kitchen, setting a pot of decaf on the counter again as she waited for another text._ _

__He hadn’t sent a good morning text this morning._ _

__Maybe he was tired of her._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Feel free to follow my Twitter!](https://mobile.twitter.com/xoxmeh) 😁


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been a bit whoops

She was only able to question herself for a minute before a text came through.

_Same time today?_ he asked, and her heart began pounding.

_Yes,_ she replied as her stomach began to rumble, remembering that he was bringing breakfast.

She stood up nervously from bed, stretching her arms above her head before she took a step. She walked to the bathroom a minute later, turning on the water again as he replied.

_Bacon, egg and cheese?_ he asked, and she immediately texted him back saying yes and thank you.

Stepping into the shower, the hot water ran over her scalp and down her tummy, covering her in a warm layer of water. She lathered up her hands, running them through her strands a second later as the water continued to beat down on her, easing her aching muscles in the slightest.

She was naked as she thought of seeing him again shortly, just an hour before he would arrive. She thought about it for a minute: his tall frame stepping through her door as she watched. He would step out of his large shoes and turn to her, maybe take her under the chin and slam his mouth into her own.

She instantly snapped out of it, shaking her head at every thought that she’d had.

It was unrealistic, she thought, rinsing the shampoo from her hair while she closed her eyes. She had already rejected him and even if she hadn’t, her ex had left her fragile enough, especially in her state.

She finished showering, slipping on the same pair of shorts that she had washed last night with a different oversized shirt, awaiting his arrival with her cup of decaf between her hands.

He knocked a few minutes later, shaking her from the thoughts that she was having and forcing her towards the door. She opened it a second later, smiling as she took in his appearance.

“Hi,” she got to greet for once, stepping away from the door to allow room for him to enter.

“Hi,” he said a second later, carrying a reusable bag that was stuffed at the bottom. “I brought breakfast,” he said once he was inside, taking off his shoes with one hand and beginning to walk towards her kitchen.

She was thankful at the idea, imagining the thought that he had out into buying her breakfast, She watched as he pulled two bagels from the bag, placing them on the island in their tinfoil.

“I wasn’t sure what kind of bagel to get you,” he confessed, straightening next to his seat as he stared at her. “So I got you a plain, just in case.”

She smiled back at him, appreciating the effort that he had put into it.

“That’s fine with me,” she admitted, pulling a stool to the opposite side of the island to sit across from him. “Wait, do you want ketchup?” She asked before taking a seat; staring at him before she made a move. When he nodded, she instantly moved toward the fridge, opening it and pulling the bottle out to hand to him.

He took it without another word, squirting a generous amount onto his tin foil before placing it down on the counter next to him, straightening in his seat.

“Thanks,” he finally said, adjusting and putting both of his hands in front of him. He took half of the sandwich and instantly took a bite, only taking a second before he dipped it in the ketchup.

“No, thank you for bringing food,” she followed, opening the tin foil to reveal her plain sandwich. She wouldn’t complain, after all it was perfect. And it tasted amazing; like it had been drowned in salt.

It was silent for a moment as they ate, both of them taking a second to dip their sandwiches in ketchup. She could feel the awkwardness as she nibbled on her sandwich, trying to pretend that she was less hungry than she was. It was a hopeless battle, she realized.

“Ready for the second coat?” He finally asked as he was nearly done with his sandwich, pushing away from the island as he finished the last bite.

“I mean,” she hesitated, remembering how useless she had been the day before. “I’m ready to help as best I can.”

He smiled in return, crumbling up his tin foil into a neat ball as he continued watching her eat, sitting back again to relax himself.

“Yeah,” she said as she stuffed the last bite in her mouth, following suit and crumbling the tin foil that she had just finished eating out of. “I’m ready.”

He smirked and stood, turning away and toward the nursery as he took wide strides, as if he forgot that she was shorter.

She followed right behind, entering the room that hadn’t changed since he’d been in it last.

“Painting is the easiest part,” he confessed, reaching for a container to dump into his tray. “It’s the most basic but so underrated,” he admitted, pouring the paint and reaching for the extendable roller.

“I wouldn’t know,” she said, following him but not being as quick as him. “I don’t know anything about painting.”

“I could teach you,” he paused for a second as he continued to work, picking the cellophane off of the roller from the day before. “If you want.” He didn’t look up at her as he spoke, continuing to unwrap the roller.

“I’d like that,” she replied, perhaps a few seconds too late. He finally looked over at her then, taking in the smile on Rey’s face before allowing his own lips to stretch into a grin. “I guess all of this covers my few first lessons.”

“Yeah,” he said back with a small laugh, finally rolling the roller in paint and attaching it to the pole. He moved the bucket over to her spot on the floor before he moved to begin, making sure that she was comfortable before leaving her.

“So how did you get into this stuff anyway? Specifically painting murals?”

He didn’t look at her as he spoke, instead continuing to push and pull the roller up and down the wall.

“My mother is an artist. And I knew I couldn’t make a career out of it so I’m happy with it as a hobby. And I’m not really interested in selling individual pieces. I like to imagine that people will see the murals every day until they’re painted over. Like you can’t look away from it. I don’t know, it sounds silly now that I’m saying it.”

“No, it doesn’t,” she said from her spot on the floor, slowly painting a few more inches near the floorboards. He was quickly onto his way to the second wall as she stared at him out of the corner of her eye, turning her body after a moment to fully look at him.

He was busy with his work, a few drops of sweat running down his forehead as he continued the rhythmic motion, so invested that he didn’t even stop as she stared. When he turned around to dip the roller again, she felt caught that she’d been staring, instantly turning bright red and returning to her own painting.

Things were silent as they continued, Ben making quick work of his section and then sinking to the floor to help her again, just as yesterday. There was idle small talk once he’d made it down on the floor with her and she could hear the smile on his face as he went on, telling her about a case that he currently had with a girl who would draw pictures of him every time they met. About how her mom had been arrested and lost custody, throwing her child into the system.

Or the father who had been caught shooting up in a McDonald’s bathroom while his toddler played in the play place. Older children that ran away from home for one reason or another or any of the kids that had been hit, neglected or worse.

There were too many difficult cases to speak about, he said.

Her heart broke for the children he spoke of, all of them trapped in their own hell that they were much too young to understand, let alone live through.

“I’m sorry, this is a horrible conversation,” he turned sideways to look at her, most of the way across the room. “I mostly see kids at the low point of their lives, you know?”

She nodded as she watched his face, glancing down at her tummy before placing her right hand there.

“I never worked with kids outside of rotations. I don’t think I could,” she confessed, “especially now.”

He nodded now, getting to his feet and closing the can of paint now that she had finished her wall. He took her paintbrush from her before stepping next to her and offering her a hand, pulling her to her feet a moment later.

“Thanks,” she said bashfully, refusing to make eye contact thinking of how heavy her very-pregnant body must have been.

“Not a problem,” he said as he bent down to start tapping the can lid into place, making sure that none of the paint would dry out. He rose to his feet a moment later, still towering over Rey as she stood in the center of the room, hand resting on her stomach.

“So I guess I owe you dinner.”

That caught his attention as he finally looked into her eyes from the other side of the room, picking at a wet spot on his hand.

“You don’t need to do anything special for me. I was mostly kidding.”

She bit her lip as he spoke, switching on her feet a moment later.

“It’s really no problem and we agreed on it beforehand. I don’t mind.”

He stared at her for a moment before nodding, smiling as he looked back down at his paint covered hands.

“I guess I should have gone and started it earlier, huh?” She laughed lightly, taking a couple of wobbly steps over towards the door.

“I could help?” He asked as he followed her through the doorway and down the hall, following her to sit at the kitchen island while she dug through the cabinets.

“It’s really not a problem,” she waved him off, pulling a baking dish from below a counter. There was chicken breast in the fridge, she knew, and she immediately grabbed for it, using a knife to open the container before rinsing it off in the sink. He sat silent for a moment, watching her work for a change.

“You’re a natural,” he teased with a grin on his face, folding his hands on the counter in front of him while she could hear his feet scuffing around beneath him.

“This is literally the simplest thing I could think of,” she laughed, pulling a cutting board and knife out from her cabinets. She sliced off the small bits of fat first, then returned to cut the breasts in half before placing them in the greased pan, digging through her spice cabinet until she settled on a combination.

“Did you cook much?” He asked, watching as she sprinkled random spices over the meat.

“Um, if I’m being honest, then no,” she laughed, closing the cap of the continent that she was holding before returning it to the cabinet. “I cooked for myself but couldn’t ever really afford anything expensive. I never really had anything seasoned until I went to university and I’m sure you can imagine how much creativeness goes into those meals.”

She turned to glance across the kitchen at him now, smirking as he gave a single laugh.

“I agree. It was like eating everything out of a box.”

They both smiled, reminiscing about the crappy college meal plan food while the chicken cooked in the oven, with the timer set for twenty-five minutes.

“So tell me something random,” she said as she placed her chin on her palm on the counter, gazing at him from across the island.

“Hmm,” he paused, dramatically placing his thumb on the corner of his lip as he thought. He finally turned his face to look at her, eyes set. “When I was a teenager, and up until I went away to school, I had a pet gecko named Chewie. My dad took care of him after I left but he lived to be about fourteen.” He pushed away from the table then, placing both of his palms down on the counter before speaking again. “I hatched him when I was eleven. He was my first _real_ responsibility. 

She nodded in response, grabbing for her phone to scroll through pictures of geckos.

“They’re cute,” she finally said, turning the screen around to show him a picture of a baby.

“Yeah, he was pretty great.” He paused a second as if remembering him, gazing down at the counter before turning back to her. “Alright, your turn.”

She sucked in a breath at the idea, being so horrible at talking about herself and having no idea what someone would deem interesting.

“Um, well, I never had any pets. But I used to have a stuffed unicorn that I took EVERYWHERE with me when I was little named BB.” She chucked to herself lightly at the admission, knowing that she’d never told anyone beyond the age of ten.

“And what happened to it?”

Her cheeks flushed a deep red at the question, back stiffening and smile widening. 

“I actually still have him. He’s in my closet but I haven’t paid him any attention since I moved here.”

“Do you think your daughter would like him?” He asked after a moment of silence, cocking his head to the right slightly as he studied her face.

“Yeah, maybe. I don’t really want him to be ruined though, you know? Maybe when she’s a bit older.”

Her hand had gravitated to her stomach again as she stared down, speaking. There were ten minutes left on the timer when she glanced over at it, switching feet to adjust her weight again. Things were silent for a bit as she tried not to be rude as she scrolled through her instagram, instantly being met with a post that Ben had made that morning.

It was another beautiful piece; this time being of a little boy’s room, themed as a campsite with a small tent decorating the floor.

“I can’t believe how perfect your work is,” she finally said, smiling down at her phone screen before turning the phone around in her hand to face him. He only took a brief look at it before turning away with a light laugh, clearly embarrassed.

“I did that last weekend,” he finally spoke, eyes meeting her own as he set his phone down on the counter. “It was fun,” he added, sitting back in his chair. “Their son was a boy scout.”

Rey nodded along as she opened the freezer, pulling a bag of frozen broccoli out and placing it in the microwave.

“Is there any type of mural that’s your favorite?”

“Not particularly,” he said with a smile, looking away from her again. “Just whatever makes a family happy.”

The microwaved beeped then, signaling the end to the broccoli. Shortly after, the timer went off and dinner was served.

The conversation had gone well for the rest of the night as they ate, Rey having no shame with wolfing down the protein and vegetables on her plate as Ben stared adoringly at her, eating his own food much slower.

He cleared their plates again afterward, placing them each in the dishwasher and stretching his arms over his head after he’d finished.

“Well,” he said, and Rey didn’t want to hear the next words. She didn’t want him to leave yet, strangely. “I guess that’s it for the night.”

She had risen to her feet at that point, standing next to him but still having to peer up to meet his eyes while he looked down at her.

“Yeah,” she agreed, taking a step to follow him once he entered the living room. “Do I need to schedule you in advance?”

He grinned at her, making eye contact before walking down the hall and into the nursery where he would grab his paint roller pole but leaving his bag.

“I could come back tomorrow,” he offered, and she smiled in return, following him as he walked down the hallway again and toward the door.

“That would be perfect,” she said as he put his shoes on, standing at full height in front of her, perhaps an inch or two too close.

“I had a nice time today,” he said, staring down into her eyes as she blushed.

“Yeah, me too,” she confessed, looking up at him from beneath her eyelashes.

He paused for a moment as he continued looking down at her, eyes and lips soft as he stared.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow,” she whispered, nearly leaning toward him further.

He stopped himself then, taking in a breath before moving a step backwards.

“Yeah,” he said, taking one last look at her as he turned toward the door. “See you tomorrow.”

He didn’t look back as he walked through the door and down the hallway, but she closed the door quickly afterward, leaning against it and taking a deep breath to center herself.

Maybe he _was_ interested.

Her inner self squealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Follow me on twitter!](https://twitter.com/xoxmeh)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the kudos and comments! They mean the world to me <3
> 
> Also, please excuse any grammar issues. I'm my own beta haha

_Good morning,_ she woke up to again, immediately waking her up the moment she read it. 

_You too,_ she answered a second later, swinging her feet off of the edge of her bed.

 _Breakfast order?_ He asked as she smiled to herself, holding her phone close while she smiled.

 _Whatever is fine!_ she quickly replied, practically jumping out of bed and down the hall to the bathroom.

 _I’ll be there in half an hour, alright?_ He asked as she hurriedly hopped in the tub, showering for all of five minutes before frantically drying herself off and running back down to her bedroom. She put on another sundress now, this time a light yellow with a fringed hem that perfectly accentuated her belly.

She sat in front of her vanity next, quickly applying the most makeup that she ever had for a home visit before her phone began to buzz again next to her, with her halfway through filling her eyebrows.

 _You’re seeing him again, aren’t you?_ was from Rose, accompanied by a sly face emoji.

 _It doesn’t mean anything!_ She quickly shot back, pouting and placing her phone back down as she stared at her tower of lipstick, deciding which would be appropriate.

_Don’t lie to me, babe._

_I’m not!_

_Then why are you seeing him so often?? Hmm??_ Rose countered, seeing right through Rey. _I bet you’re getting dolled up right now, aren’t you?_

And she couldn’t lie to her best friend. She was embarrassed by herself now, thinking she looked like a giddy highschool girl picking out her makeup for someone that was going to be getting dirty with paint. 

_Maybe,_ she replied, deciding against the lipstick and walking down the hall and into the living room to wait for his knock.

 _Just. Do. It!!_ Rose sent her a gif then of a meme so old that she’d nearly forgotten it. She scowled down at the screen as she sat down on the couch, putting her feet up on the opposite side of the sectional.

She left her friend on read then as she heard the storm door open, getting to her feet as quickly as her size would allow and walking to the door unsteadily.

“Hi,” she greeted with a smile plastered on her face, swinging the door open just as he was about to knock, fist still raised in the air.

“Hi,” he replied, returning her smile and offering up a plastic bag with two boxes inside of it to her before she stepped aside and let him enter. She took the bag from him a moment later, moving backwards to allow him space to bend and remove his shoes. “Something a little different today.”

“I see that. I hope it’s something good,” she said with a smirk, finally taller than him if only for a moment as he remained hunched over.

“If you don’t like yours,” he said as he finally straightened, returning to towering over her. “You can have mine.” He was a little close now, neither of them having taken a step back from each other as he gazed down at her, brown eyes boring into her own.

She was frozen for a moment, breathing slowed as they remained staring at each other another moment before Rey laughed nervously and turning towards the kitchen, bag in tow. She took a second as she set it down on her counter, steadying herself while she didn’t have to look at him.

He came in a moment later, immediately reaching into the cabinet and drawers to retrieve forks and plates for the both of them.

“An omelette for you, my lady,” he said as he placed the fork and container in front of her, pulling out his own box and opening it. “Pancakes for me. I’ll gladly share,” he smirked as he looked over at her, taking the individual packet of syrup out of the box and placing it on the counter next to him.

The box in front of her was nearly overflowing with food: on top of the omelette, a decent helping of hashbrowns with a side of bacon and toast. Her mouth watered at the sight but she couldn’t help but feel a bit shy.

“This is so much,” she laughed, walking to the fridge to grab a bottle of ketchup. “Do you want anything?” He shook his head before she grabbed them both a bottle of water, setting them down between their place settings as she finally took a seat across from him.

“I have to go to work in an hour or so,” he said as he scooped one pancake onto his plate, opening a butter packet to spread on it and pouring a small amount of syrup. “I was just going to draw some of the outline today.”

She nodded as she watched him, nervously picking up her fork and beginning to tear off a corner of her food.

“You didn’t have to bring food, you know,” she said as she poked the tip of the fork between her lips, savoring the first bite.

“I know. I wanted to,” he looked directly at her as he spoke, holding his fork halfway between his plate and mouth.

Her cheeks flushed and she looked down, staring at the food in front of her while she could continue feeling his eyes on her.

“How about you? No work today?” He asked after another few mouthfuls of pancakes, adjusting himself in his seat to lean an elbow on the counter.

“No, I’m only working three days a week right now.” He nodded and they returned to an awkward silence as she nibbled on her food, beginning to take bigger bites as he made his way to a second pancake.

“Well, that’s it for me,” he pushed away from the table, placing his fork on the empty plate and standing to walk to the dishwasher. “You can finish that while I start, if you want. No sense letting it get cold.”

She took a second to finish chewing and swallowing before she said a word, holding one hand to her mouth. She _was_ hungry and did want to finish…

“If you don’t mind?” She asked, not moving from her seat.

He nodded in return, flashing her a smile before walking down the hallway with his sketchbook in his hand.

She was quiet as she ate her food, taking turns eating each of the sides and dipping each bite in ketchup. Nibbling it, her mind raced as she thought about this man in her spare bedroom, drawing on her walls, stretching his arms over his head, revealing that small sliver of his stomach…

Her cheeks flushed at the thought, instantly chiding herself and stamping the thought down in her head. She wouldn’t go there, she stubbornly thought, taking a deep breath as she set her fork down on her napkin.

Biting her lip, she pushed away from the table an inch or two, leaning forward to rest her chin on her palm. _He brought breakfast,_ her heart beat faster as she thought, mind racing to places that she wished it wouldn’t.

He was a stranger. He was still young enough that he shouldn’t be taking on other men’s children. What interest could he have? Surely nothing innocent. Like she’d asked Rose, could he have a fetish? Hanging around pregnant women under the guise of painting their murals?

She shook her head, biting at a fingernail now. He was handsome, with a career and-- She paused. A career working primarily with children and young adults. She took another breath, standing straighter up while one hand made its way down to her belly. He _could_ genuinely care. He could actually be interested beyond some kind of hook-up, he could--

“Rey?” He called down the hallway, bringing her from her thoughts as she blinked her eyes and stepped away from the kitchen island.

“Coming!” She called, adjusting on her feet and taking a few steps. She walked down the hall with bare feet, relishing the way the cold hardwood felt on her soles.

“I wanted to double check the placement with you,” he said once she poked her head around the corner, pushing the door the rest of the way open. She blinked as she stared, first at his face (for a moment too long), then where he had made a thick line in pencil off center from the middle of the room. Toward the other wall, there was another thick line, signalling the end of the mural.

“It looks perfect,” she said, taking another look at the wall before looking back at him. He was still admiring his handiwork as she stared, taking in the sharp lines and moles on his face while he was too busy to look at her.

It was strange, she thought, to have another man in the house. On top of that, a stranger that she had allowed into her home on the recommendation of a friend. She wasn’t used to trusting people, especially now in her vulnerable state where she knew she would be helpless in a dangerous situation. But she felt strangely at peace with him, again running a hand along the bump of her belly as she continued staring at him, only looking away when he finally caught her eye, embarrassing her.

“I’m thinking that I’ll start here,” he gestured toward the bottom of the floor, still holding his pencil in his hand as he pointed down. “And it would end a bit above my head,” he raised his hand a bit, turning himself back to face her a second later.

The mural would lay exactly behind the spot where she wanted her crib, she thought, nodding silently as her eyes followed his bare forearms that were still motioning along the wall. He appeared lost in the moment, completely taken over by his work.

“Yeah, it’s great,” she nodded again, her eyes following his arms again as he drew more lines, bending lower a moment later.

There was a smile on his face as he nodded, making one final line before returning to his feet and crossing the room toward his bag, pulling the sketchbook back out as he held it in front of himself. He considered it for a moment before dropping his hands to his sides, taking in the room one last time before turning toward her.

“Ok, well that’s a start,” he smirked, bending to return his pencil and sketchbook to the bag at his feet. “I probably won’t be able to make it back over until Friday night, if you’ll be here.” He was looking at her expectantly, eyebrows raised slightly as his brown eyes scanned her face. She nodded a moment later, smiling and taking a step backward.

“That should be fine,” she said while he adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder. “I can have dinner ready when you get here, if you’d like.”

He nodded.

“That’d be great,” he said while they stood there awkwardly for a moment, staring at each other in silence. “Well, I should be going to work now,” he finally spoke, fidgeting on his feet for a second before Rey raised her head to meet his eyes, turning and walking through the door and down the hall into the entryway.

“Is there anything I can get you before you go?”

He stared for another minute as he stood before her, towering over her and only a step or so away from the swell of her stomach. His eyes flitted downward before meeting her own again, longingly taking a slow breath and opening his mouth before closing it again, thinking better of himself.

“No, I’m ok.” He smiled at her again now, turning away to open the front door and storm door. “It was nice to see you,” to which Rey nodded, blinking after him and not sure of what to say.

“You too,” she settled on after he was probably out of hearing distance, lamely holding her hand up to wave at him as he walked down the driveway and got into his car.

She stood in the doorway for minutes after he left, one hand on her stomach while the other rested atop the door knob, waiting to close it.

 _Friday,_ she thought, already counting down the days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Feel free to follow me on twitter!](https://twitter.com/xoxmeh)


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